Jamieson is a two-time Cup champion (’07 with Tell All, 2011 with Up The Credit), his second coming with a Carl Jamieson horse. But a third win Saturday would be a career highlight because of the family ties with St Lads Neptune.

“I won the 2011 North America Cup with my dad’s horse the day before Father’s Day and it was all him,” Jamieson said. “He picked out the horse at the sale, trained it and did everything with him.

“(St Lads Neptune), he picked him out, raced him as a two-year-old and then turned him over to me and my wife as a three-year-old. No matter how you look at it, I think it’s a big thing for any Hall of Famer to turn a horse over, If we get some money Saturday night it’s going to be a huge plus. If we win it, I think it will be a longshot but we’re going to give it the old college try, it will be even better because it’s a total family affair.”

Jamieson doesn’t need another Cup win to define him. The 41-year-old has captured the Little Brown Jug and Maple Leaf Trot among his 7,704 career wins and amassed earnings of $123.4 million. He’s been Canada’s top driver three times (2007, 2009, 2011) and the runner-up on three occasions.

St Lads Neptune, an Ontario-sired gelding at early 8/1 odds, will begin from the No. 1 post Saturday night. The three-year-old has finished second in all three starts this year after winning five-of-eight races in 2017.

Lather Up is the 2/1 favourite and goes from the No. 4 hole. Stay Hungry (5/2 second choice) starts at No. 2 while Done Well (4/1 third pick) lines up No. 7 spot in the 10-horse final.

“I think this field is as evenly matched as you can get,” he said. “If you turned the whole field upside down and changed the post positions it’s still an even field after Lather Up.

“Whether he gets a smooth trip is another thing but I think he’s the horse to beat, then we’ll see what happens.”

The Jamiesons won’t be the only husband-and-wife team at Saturday’s race. American Andy Miller will drive Hayden Hanover, the son of Somebeachsomewhere trained by his wife, Julie.

But Jamieson said working closely with his wife hasn’t been difficult.

“There’s no strain at all, we’re on the same page and it works really well,” he said. “Steph does all the work, I do a lot of the managing and we use dad’s experience and skill to find the horses.

“It’s easy to leave it on the track but harder to leave stuff in the barn. We train at home, we have a little track there . . . so we don’t get in the car and go home at the end of the day, we just walk to the house and the horses are always there in the back of our minds at all times.”

Jamieson is following in some impressive footsteps as his father is a member of the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame. The elder Jamieson remains involved in racing but Jody Jamieson can see the day when his dad decides to retire.

“I think he’s been testing us for down the road,” Jamieson said. “I think he’d like to retire sooner than later but he loves going to Florida and being around the horses so I see that kind of progression.

“The industry has changed. It’s not easy for every driver, no matter what they’ve done, to continue driving and making money. You kind of have to branch out and have the odd horse in your barn and if my dad’s turning over great horses to us, it’s going to make it a lot easier.”

St Lads Neptune will have plenty of support Saturday as Jamieson said family from Nova Scotia is expected to attend.

“It’s going to be an interesting night regardless of how we do,” he said. “If you add the result on, it would be that much better.”